


The Shelter

by shezni



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: M/M, Positive Cecilos Fic Drive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2014-03-31
Packaged: 2018-01-17 17:39:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1396669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shezni/pseuds/shezni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos and Cecil look for a furry companion, but it's not quite what Carlos was expecting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Shelter

“Oooh, what about this one?”

Carlos mopped the sweat off his brow as he watched his boyfriend point excitedly at a...dog? What it a dog? What sort of dog was green and had two mouths?

“Um, Cecil,” Carlos muttered nervously, “Maybe we should look for something a bit...smaller. Larger dogs cost more to feed and the apartment is rather small after all.”

Cecil nodded in agreement. “Of course, you’re right. We really should be sensible about this, it’s just...he’s so cute! Aw, look at his widdle paws! Isn’t he just a precious little boy? Yes, he is. Yes, he is!”

Carlos sighed heavily and squared his shoulders, trying not to let on how nervous he was. He really should have expected this when Cecil first suggested that they adopt a dog. Even though Khoshekh had a special place in the radio host’s heart, he really was a dog person through and through. Sometimes in the rare moments of calm when they could relax and spends some time together after work, Cecil would talk at length about the beloved Cocker Spaniel his family had when he was a child. He’d describe his big black eyes, furiously wagging tail and smooth green scales with a certain flourish that always made Carlos smile. He didn’t even think to question the “scales” detail. Now he wished he had.

The “dog” let out a bark that sounded like two pieces of metal scraping together and scratched the bottom of its cage with its razor-like claws. The dead-eyed attendant listlessly threw a slab of some indescribable meat into at the beast, who devoured its meal in a flash of yellow jagged teeth. Carlos felt the blood drain from his face. Yes, definitely something smaller.

He led Cecil away from the dual-mouthed dog and further into the pound. The dank building felt more like a high security prison than a shelter. The bars were thick and made of some dense, unidentifiable metal. There were attendants at every corner stationed like guards, with a sack full of meat and a utility belt full of weapons on hand. Fluorescent lights flickered weakly overhead, casting inconsistent shadows that made the inhabitants of the shelter look even more monstrous than they already were. The whole set-up gave Carlos the creeps, which had become rather hard to do after living so long in Night Vale. He had hoped the selections would be a bit more conventional as they continued to look, but he had no such luck. There was a dog with three heads and poison sacs behind its hind legs, a dog that chanted ominously in Russian, and a dog that looked like a four legged representation of the aliens from Predator.

Somewhere around the well-behaved Boxer that was writhing with tentacles, Cecil stopped and took Carlos’s hand.

“Um, Carlos,” he began nervously. “You know, we don’t have to get a dog, per say. Maybe it would be better if we got a fish or something like that. After all, they require a less attention than dogs. Or maybe we could find a way to take one of Khoshekh’s kittens home. You’re a scientist, after all! Maybe you could get them out of their fixed spots using...physics or something.”

“But you were so excited about getting a dog,” Carlos replied. Ever since he’d first brought up the trip to the shelter, it was all Cecil could talk about for a week. Had he really changed his mind.

Cecil sighed. “Well, it’s true that I would really like a dog but...Carlos, you’ve been sweating bullets ever since we got here, and you’ve said no to all my suggestions. I’ve been thinking….maybe you just aren’t a dog person.”

“That’s not true! I like dogs, it’s just...the dogs that I’m used to look a bit….different than the ones here. I just don’t see any dogs that I recognize as...well, dogs.” Carlos squeezed Cecil’s hand and smile weakly. “Although I could write a very interesting paper about canine biodiversity in the Southeastern United States. You’ll have to remind me to come back with the team next week.”

Cecil playfully slapped his arm. “Oh, you and your science. I’ll be sure to write it down on the whiteboard back home.”

A small bark caught suddenly caught Carlos’s attention. It was the first normal animal sound he had heard since they entered this godforsaken place. He turned around and found himself staring into the eyes of a precious tan and white Corgi, wagging its fluffy tail and looking up at the couple expectantly. Carlos scooted towards the cage nervously. Cecil followed suite, carefully crouching behind his boyfriend’s back and peering over his shoulder. The dog’s eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement at their fear.

Carlos gulped and reached down, extending a trembling hand towards the cage. He closed his eyes tightly, fully expecting his finger to be lost to the terrible beast the Corgi was surely going to become. Instead, he felt a wet tongue lapping at his hand. He opened his eyes and sighed with relief.

Cecil sighed along with him. “My, what a weird dog! I’ve never seen one with so few spines.”

Carlos grinned. “He’s adorable. What do you think, Cecil.” The scientist gave his boyfriend the most pitiful puppy eyes he could muster. It was either this or they would have to start looking for fish, and Carlos didn’t even what to attempt to fathom what that would be like.

Cecil paused and thought for a moment, then laughed softly.

“Well, I suppose the poor thing needs a home. We’ll take him!”

Carlos smiled and let out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding. He took Cecil’s hand and together they walked to the front desk to add the newest member of their family. Maybe this dog would be the one normal constant in the whole town.

* * *

Carlos bitterly remembered that thought when the thing sprouted bat wings in less than a week.


End file.
